Hi! This website is for my 20.109 class, Laboratory Fundamentals of Biological Engineering.

Hi! This website is for my 20.109 class, Laboratory Fundamentals of Biological Engineering.

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== Module 3 Project Proposal (work in progress) ==

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===Project Title===

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Growth of cardiac stem cells and the preservation of their characteristics in vitro.

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=== Background Information ===

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Cardiac diseases are one of the most common diseases in the world. This is especially problematic because heart failures are one the leading causes of death [2]. Chronic high blood pressure and heart attacks are widespread disorders that affect a wide range of people. These disorders cause irreparable damages to the heart tissue, eventually leading to heart failure. Unfortunately, the human heart does not have a mechanism to regenerate damaged heart tissues.

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Researchers in the past have used embryonic stem cells, endothelial progenitor cells and mesenchymal stem cells to try to regenerate these tissues. However, none of these seem to be as successful as expected.

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With the recent discovery of cardiac stem cells, the opportunity to induce regeneration of damaged heart tissue using the body's own cells is promising.

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=== Project Overview ===

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The goal of this project is to grow and sustain cardiac stem cells (CSCs) while maintaining their characteristics in vitro.

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The purpose of developing the CSCs is to eventually transplant them to the heart and induce their differentiation into the appropriate cardiac cell type. This will help to regenerate the damaged heart tissue.

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There are specific advantages to using CSCs. Since they are cells from the heart, they are compatible with the damaged heart tissue, leading to the increased likelihood of regeneration.

Module 3 Project Proposal (work in progress)

Project Title

Growth of cardiac stem cells and the preservation of their characteristics in vitro.

Background Information

Cardiac diseases are one of the most common diseases in the world. This is especially problematic because heart failures are one the leading causes of death [2]. Chronic high blood pressure and heart attacks are widespread disorders that affect a wide range of people. These disorders cause irreparable damages to the heart tissue, eventually leading to heart failure. Unfortunately, the human heart does not have a mechanism to regenerate damaged heart tissues.
Researchers in the past have used embryonic stem cells, endothelial progenitor cells and mesenchymal stem cells to try to regenerate these tissues. However, none of these seem to be as successful as expected.
With the recent discovery of cardiac stem cells, the opportunity to induce regeneration of damaged heart tissue using the body's own cells is promising.

Project Overview

The goal of this project is to grow and sustain cardiac stem cells (CSCs) while maintaining their characteristics in vitro.
The purpose of developing the CSCs is to eventually transplant them to the heart and induce their differentiation into the appropriate cardiac cell type. This will help to regenerate the damaged heart tissue.
There are specific advantages to using CSCs. Since they are cells from the heart, they are compatible with the damaged heart tissue, leading to the increased likelihood of regeneration.

Research problem

(Predicted Problems)

Isolation of CSCs

Optimization of growth conditions

Transplation of CSCs in vivo

Details and Methods

Predicted Outcomes

References

Puceat, Michel. Pharmacological approaches to regenerative strategies for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases. Current Opinion in Pharmacology (2008), 8: 189-192.

Do you have any experience in molecular biology (electrophoresis, PCR, etc)?

Yes. I have some experience doing gel electrophoresis.

Please briefly describe any previous laboratory experience

I have been working at the Laboratory for Multiscale Regenerative Technologies for a little more than a year now.
The goal of my project is to target deliver iron oxide nanoparticles for theraputic purposes in cancer treatments.

Anything else you would like us to know?

I absolutely love working in my lab and I am really looking forward to learning a lot from this class.